Steer clear of cars that spy

First, governments put up red-light cameras at intersections for ticketing and then sent police around with automated license plate readers.

A d v e r t i s e m e n t

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Now car insurance companies want you to install a new device in your car so they can track how you drive and when you drive. The companies say this could reduce your insurance rates, but there is more to the story.

The data that are collected by the insurers don’t stay with the insurers and won’t be used only to calculate rates. Police could get access to your driving habits, as could state agencies.

Most critically, these data could be used in claims disputes by the insurer and others against you. That means that the auto insurer’s “black box” in your car could become Exhibit A in a case against you.